1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to device for anchoring a towel bar, ring or hook to a supporting surface and for shielding the supporting surface from wet towel damage.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is a common problem in household bathrooms and kitchens that the wall behind a towel bar, ring or hook is damaged by wet towels and wet hands reaching for the towels. Most walls are paneled with drywall. Drywall consists of a core of plaster of Paris sandwiched between sheets of paper. The strength of the wall comes from the paper. If the paper is wetted and the core exposed to moisture, the towel bar, ring or hook may pull out of the wall and the damaged section of drywall must be replaced. Even if the towel bar, ring or hook does not pull out of the wall or if the supporting surface is made from wood, the varnished, painted or wallpapered wall behind the towel bar, ring or hook may be damaged by wet towels and hands and need to be redecorated.
Patching drywall is beyond the skills of most home owners as it requires cutting out the damaged section of the wall and replacing the removed drywall with a patch. The edges around the patch must be taped and joint compound applied. After the joint compound dries, the joints must be leveled either by sanding or by washing with a wet sponge to remove excess material. It is very difficult to make the wall smooth. Painting and wallpapering are somewhat easier but most home owners are short of time, given modern day job and family demands, and unnecessary repairs are to be avoided.